Forgotten Inheritance
by M343GS
Summary: Naruto hides himself from the world and the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Not trusting anyone, until some people come along, trying to help him. Though if he does care about them or not remains to be a mystery. As Team 7 is in Waves, Naruto finds something that will change his whole view of the world and the universe.


**Forgotten Inheritance**

**Chapter 1; The Beginning of The Return Home**

Our story begins in the foggy and dense woods, the fog hanging in the air like lingering hands unable to let go of what they hold dear. The trees in the forest loomed over the ground, casting shadows were they stood. The overall atmosphere was that of a looming suspense waiting to release, and that it did. A ring blasted and echoed across the silent forest. The ring was metallic in nature, of metal hitting metal with force, the sounds only associated with conflict, but not conflict of nature's more simple minded machinations, it's animals or way of life. It was a conflict known well to those it belonged to, the conflict of intelligent beings that nature made and shed tears for at the brutality of her creation.

The conflict was between two of the race of Man, a race who stood above all of the others before it, one that was smarter than its counter parts, who had advanced rapidly and greatly. Though, this great evolve did not come without consequences. The race of Man with all of its achievements and milestones, came to have emotions and thoughts because of their intelligence granted by nature, and with these thoughts and emotions came love, compassion, companionship, and most of all Humanity. Though no good can exist without its counter. With that counter came emotions of anger, hate, fear, and most of all, death to Humanity.

It was this that made nature shed tears for her creation, as because of their advancement and intelligence, grew to become too big, and just like with nature's other inventions, they fought for what was theirs, but one thing more they had that was more then her other inventions, is that they wanted more and more and more. They would kill and fight and die for more space, for more land. Thus is the nature of Man, constant conflict for more land, constant conflict for more power, and these actions came from one emotion, and that was greed. It drove them to kill each other, the single thought that "I" can have more than "Him/Her". These thoughts corrupted the thoughts of equality that nature wanted them to think. So it gave way to more emotions, to that of pain, revenge, and death.

As these thoughts clouded the minds of Man, only few continued to see light that nature made for them, though as they tried to clear the minds of their fellow Man, they wouldn't listen, and created a cycle that would go on forever, as those who wanted to have equality tried to make it so, so did its counter, and those who wanted everything because of their greed, fought those who were in their way, and that was those who wanted equality.

In the end, it all came down to a single thing that nature knew wouldn't be changed as she created it herself, and was for one force, there was another force, and that was a opposing force. So this is the cycle that the race of Man was introduced into, that of pain and death. First it began with their own hands to snuff the life out of those who stood against them, then they came to realize that the Earth around them was useful for their means, that of rocks and wood. With these new materials, they used clubs and blunt weapons, to kill faster than their hands, then looked further into their new creation, soon creating the blade, to make a stick or rock sharp, made Man bleed faster.

Thus this cycle continued from sticks, to bladed rocks, to spiked clubs, and ended up with them finding the most valuable tool to kill others of Man, and that was metal. With this, they added the creation of their blade and made a deadly weapon, one able to kill a man faster, the fastest of all those who came before it, and that was the Sword. They even improved this more by making it smaller or bigger for there needs.

Thus we come upon where we are now, and that was a fog covered lake, though there was more here than in the forest. In this fog we find our sound for Man against Man. Human against Human. The sound rings again right in front of us now, and now I leave you to watch the outcome of Man and their intelligence...

* * *

><p>Two figures clashed and revealed themselves as they tried to overpower the other. Then the figure change into a man, a man who was fighting against another man. One of them had black hair that was short and spiky, and in his hair was a cloth tied with a metal piece at the side, with a depiction of four wavy symbols in a two by two order, similar to rain drops, though there was a slash going through them in between. Making it split to two on top and two on bottom of the slash. He was dressed in two cameo forearm covers, in colors of white and black. His chest was unclothed except for his neck which had white bandages going from the base of his neck to the bridge of his nose. His eyes were a piercing black that seemed to stare into the soul. He also had black and narrow eyebrows. His skin was a slightly dark color. His lower half was covered in black pants that tucked into a pair of black combat boots on his feet.<p>

He was using a huge sword that curved at the end into a pointed spike. The blade was similar to that of a cleaver look. He was shoving it against, with all of his strength, the other man. The other man was a head shorter than the man. He had white spiked hair that was slightly cocked to the right if you were looking at him, and below his hair was a headband on his forehead, with symbol of a swirl that ended in a point that turned back at a angle sharply. It looked similar to a leaf. The other man's eyes were strange as one was a small black dot and the other a red eye that had a pupil and three comma like marks surrounding the pupil, swirling fast in a clockwise rotation. His skin was white in color. He wore a green jacket that had a thickly padded collar going up his neck partly. The rest of it was green with shoulder pads and pockets to carry things. There was an undershirt that was a full body suit that was blue, with a red swirl on the left shoulder and right shoulder. His pants were the suit with blue boots that had a cut off at where the toes would be. He was using two small blade tools that were in a pyramid looking shape before the hilt that was tubular in design, with a ring to hold them by, that was also tubular. There was a thin strip of white cloth that was on the tubular shaft.

They pushed against one another for dominance in the deadlock, each seeking to end the other's life to live from their conflict. They shifted with the white hair figure losing ground and then the black haired man losing ground , before they separated from each other, landing some distance away from one another. Then the black haired man spoke.

"You know Kakashi of the Sharingan, you are certainly as strong as your reputation says." quirked the black haired man, identifying the white haired man as Kakashi Hatake, a Jonin, or seasoned ninja of the Hidden Leaf. He said this as he pointed his sword at Kakashi with one arm. "Plus, Kubikiribocho would love a taste of you blood".

Kakashi stood still in a stance of combat, then replied, "As does yours Zabuza, Demon of the Bloody Mist." As he identified the black haired man as Zabuza Momochi. Then Kakashi tensed before flashing away at speeds faster than the untrained eye, and clashed with the man once again. As this battle progressed, a shore was uncovered by the fog to reveal four people, three kids and one older aged man.

This small group that was observing the battle from the side, seeing that both the Jonin were evenly matched. One of the kids was dressed in a blue shirt, white cargo pants, and blue open toed sandals. He was tense with fear and yet... confidence. He had pale skin and black spiky hair that was long and shaped like a duck's butt at the back. A headband also covered his forehead like the Jonin, with the same leaf like symbol as Kakashi. His eyes were a large pupil-less black iris. He had white forearm covers that had blue straps at either end. He was wary of his surroundings, holding his Kunai, the pyramid weapon, steady while watching the fight. His name was Sasuke Uchiha, the last Uchiha loyal to the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

The next kid was dressed in a red dress and was a girl. She had long pink hair that flowed down to mid back, and her eyes were a sea green or teal. Her skin was a slightly tanned white. She had a large forehead, that wasn't covered by the red cloth headband with the same leaf like symbol in her hair, acting like a hairband. Her stance was filled with fear as she held her Kunai in her hand unsteadily. She had biker shorts that were black, with sandals that were open toed and blue. Her name was Sakura Haruno.

Third and last kid was, none to say the least, a huge eyesore in his orange eyesore that was a jumpsuit. It had a thin, wool collar that went up his neck that was split at the front by orange around the zipper at the front. The shoulders were a covered in blue and the rest of the suit was orange except at the bottom where a blue strip resided. A white swirl with a tassel was one his left shoulder and a red swirl on the back, in the middle of his shoulders, like the jacket Kakashi was wearing as it wasn't seen. He had white, tanned skin, and his face had three whisker like marks on either cheek. He had yellow spiky hair that stuck out in all directions. He stood in a stance of fear as well though he seemed... calm also. His name was Naruto Uzumaki, the Village Hidden in the Leaves Pariah, and the container of the 9 Tailed Fox.

The last of the group was a elder man that was dressed a grey tank top and white knee length shorts. He wore a conical rice hat and a backpack. His face was that one of a man who knew what labor was. There was a pair of glasses that sat before two small black eyes, and a white band of rope was wrapped around his head. The man was Tazuna, the bridge builder of the Land of Waves, and this group's client.

Then in a sudden move Kakashi was captured in a sphere of water, from the use of Zabuza's newest weapon, Chakra, the power of the body and mind. Kakashi looked either way and felt the density of the water, and knew he wouldn't get out. "Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura... get out of here. His Water Clones can travel only so far from the user. Take Tazuna and escape!" Kakashi barked out the order knowing it was the only option to save Tazuna at that point.

Sasuke looked from Kakashi to Zabuza to Zabuza's Water Clones and back to Kakashi, before getting ready to make a run for it. Then stopped as he heard footsteps from behind him. He looked and saw Naruto walking up to him. Now he knew the dobe was stupid and not all that good, but this, this was suicide. Naruto calmly looked at Kakashi and surveyed the situation around him with a very calculating eye that was normally unseen by anyone, other than the Hokage, and even then not much.

Naruto was not as he portrayed himself or as he seemed, as he hid himself from the world, using masks and fake personas as his image. He was smart for his age, smarter than Sasuke or Sakura, or even Shino, that bug user in his Genin class that was an Aburame. Ever since he could remember, he always wanted to learn and learn and learn. But with villagers and teachers at the academy always trying to stunt him and degrade him, he put up the facade to fool them, make them think it was working. Instead Naruto knew he would have to find knowledge on his own, and thus he thought back to the time when he went to find his knowledge and Iruka sensei, he friend, found out.

* * *

><p><em>Flashback<em>

_Naruto looked at each of the kids as they were picked up from school for the uncountable time, watching to see if anyone was going to stay. He eyes scanned across the crowd, looking at some his fellow piers and the hateful and scorn-filled eyes of the adults. He heard their silent whispers, and the hateful remarks. Though all of this didn't phase him, and he looked back at each of the adults with apathetic eyes, the once bright azure eyes now a dark cerulean. Some of the adults looked away, unsettled by the change, while others narrowed their eyes, wondering where they came from.  
><em>

_Eventually all of them left, and Naruto still sat at the swing in the school yard. Looking at the building that was supposed the satisfy his need of knowledge. 'Hmph, I suppose I was hoping for too much. Why was I expecting the teachers to be different from the villagers? Oh, well. I will have to find it on my own now.' thought the blonde as he got off the swing and onto the soft ground. He walked into the school and walked down the halls, to the library that on the west wing. When he got there he looked into carefully to see that no one was there, alive or dead._

_He walked in and went to one of the shelves. He let his hand glide down the books and tomes, knowing that each one touched contained what he wanted. "Naruto.." he froze and saw a Chunin, Iruka Umino , a teacher for the more upper grades, standing at the library doorway with a honestly confused face.  
><em>

_"Naruto, what are you doing in hear?" asked the Chunin, as he had heard that Naruto was a goof off from his coworkers. Though if he was in here, he was either planning to do a prank or wanting to learn. He saw Naruto look at him the same cerulean eyes he showed the adults before he saw them shift to the more recognizable azure blue._

_"Hiya, Iruka sensei." replied Naruto with the goofy voice he was known for. He turned and looked at him fully with closed eyes and rubbing the back of his head, signaling he was surprised at being caught. He opened his eyes and looked at him directly. "I am not doing anything, Just sticking around today." he said with honesty in his voice._

_Iruka looked at the supposed dead-last with a look of interest. From what he heard, the boy would leave after everyone else, then terrorize the village with his pranks. Though, if he was here, then something was different this time. He knew the boy was wearing a mask, or facade. He himself had once been there before, when his parents died in the 9 Tailed Fox Attack 10 years ago. He had created a mask of an idiot, because he wanted the attention, no matter what it was. The same situation lied here, as like Naruto, he had no family, no parents to be with. Always on his own. Therefore, he knew what Naruto must be feeling._

_When he came back from his internal thoughts, he jumped back as he saw Naruto standing in front of him. "You feeling okay Iruka sensei? You spaced out there for a sec." asked Naruto with a worried look. Iruka looked at him one last time, hearing the words the Hokage said to him, when he came to his office to complain about Naruto's jokes and pranks, both inside and outside of school._

_Flashback within a flashback_

_"You must understand Iruka, he has no family, no relatives. Not to mention the village doesn't like him already because of his... situation." said the Hokage, with a sigh, as he looked down at his desk. He knew the reason why he acted the way he did, and it didn't make better on his conciseness. Naruto was an individual who was smart, and smart enough to realize that the village wouldn't help him, so while he has a facade going to keep the village distracted, he takes and learns what he wants with his true side.  
><em>

_"I understand that Hokage-sama, but that still doesn't mean we should just let the behavior continue!" he exclaimed to his superior, and even though it might have been out of line, this kind of behavior was not only disturbing the peace, but also stunting the students' around him growth._

_"Iruka!" said the Hokage with a stern voice as he looked the Chunin in the eyes. "You should know why he acts like this better than anyone else!". Iruka stopped there and his eyes softened as he knew all to well what the Hokage was talking about. "I am sorry to bring such bad memories to surface Iruka, but you understand why he acts like he does. He has no one paying attention to him, and when they do it is with scorn or hate. So he acts like he does to get any attention besides that." Now the Hokage knew the last part was a lie, but he would let the Chunin figure that out, if he decided to give Naruto a chance._

_Iruka looked at the floor after the Hokage's words for a few moments, then looked up. "You are right about that Hokage-sama. I guess I will give the boy a chance." The Hokage looked into his eyes for any lies or __deceit. Though he knew he wouldn't find any, he just had to keep the facade of a strong leader, and a kind one._

_"Thank you Iruka, because if there is anyone in this village who needs a chance, it is Naruto. Just watch him Iruka, for you might see something no one else bothers to see." said the Hokage with a smile, leaving the small hint to hang in the air. Iruka looked at the Hokage with a raised eyebrow for only a second before nodding and turning to leave the office, wondering what the Hokage meant by that. "And Iruka.." said the Hokage, and Iruka turned to him as he opened the door to the office. "Please don't hold what is inside him against him, like most of the villagers." Iruka stood there for a second, before nodding slowly and stepping out the door and closing it behind him._

_The Hokage looked after him as he closed the door, and thought to himself with a small smile, as he turned the chair he sat in and looked over the village, mostly to the Hokage Faces and at Iruka as he walked away from the Hokage building, 'I think after today, Naruto will get a new friend'._

_Back to the Flashback_

_Iruka slowly nodded to Naruto, deciding that if he was going to give the kid a chance now is as good as any. "Yes Naruto, I am fine. Just thought of something someone told me some time ago." replied Iruka with a smile. He watched as Naruto's face changed from one of worry to one of interest briefly before it switched back to the goofy one._

_"Okay Iruka sensei, if you say so.." said Naruto as he walked away from him and back into the library. "So what are you doing here anyways Iruka sensei, if I may ask?" said Naruto as he looked at each of the titles of the books and the shelves with disinterest. Iruka watched him as he went, while he walked over to one of the desks in the library and sat down in a chair, then pulled out a scroll. He undid the thin rope wrapped around the scroll and opened it. On the paper were unique and unusual symbols, before Iruka made the hand seal for gathering Chakra, the Ram seal, and placed his hand down upon the paper making it poof with white smoke. Revealing papers of students work for the day, and notes he wrote on his students who needed the help._

_It was then that Iruka felt the feeling of being watched and as he turned to look at Naruto, he was still browsing with disinterest. "I come here to grade my students work and plan for the next day's lessons." replied Iruka to Naruto's question, knowing that the boy had watched him perform the technique. Rather sneakily too, though his Shinobi senses found Naruto out. Iruka knew the boy was interested at what he did, though he wasn't going to say anything. 'Maybe this is what the Hokage was talking about?' thought Iruka to himself._

_"Hmm, sounds boring." said Naruto as he heard Iruka's answer, though what he just did interested him greatly, he wasn't going to let the man know. The man had treated him not good but not as bad as anyone else in the past. Really, he treated him as a teacher scolding a student would, nothing more, nothing less. Still, Naruto already had a dislike to the village anyways, so he would treat the man no different, unless otherwise._

_"Indeed, Naruto. To you and those your age it might seem boring, wouldn't it." commented Iruka to Naruto's comment. The boy already not only showed how smarter he was than his rumors said, but also talked like a mature person, with still a childish sense. Iruka was wrong to assume like he did when it came to Naruto. Now he saw what the Hokage meant. 'Look underneath the underneath' he thought to himself with a small chuckle, such a simple lesson forgotten, but so important._

_"What is funny Iruka sensei?" asked Naruto as he looked at the Chunin, wondering what made him laugh. The man was strange, if it was good or bad was still to be determined. Naruto knew that the man was not like the other teachers, as they only focused on the good students, he focused on the ones who needed help. For that he had gained a little admiration and respect from Naruto, only a little though._

_"Oh, just something I learned when I first became Genin Naruto, in fact, the first thing I learned." answered Iruka. "The lesson was "Look underneath the underneath", something I tend to forget from time to time." This was the final test to see if he was using a mask as a defense to Iruka, and it all depended on Naruto's next comment, as Iruka knew he would comment on it._

_Naruto nodded while looking at the Chunin slowly, thinking over the lessons meaning, as he always did when he learned new things. 'Look underneath the underneath' he repeated internally, wondering what he meant. Then he thought back to how he learned that the villagers or teachers wouldn't help him learn, to satisfy his mind. How he saw though the occasional fake faces of kindness from teachers who were really trying to make him fail, by giving the wrong hand seals or lessons. Then the lesson clicked in his head, 'Sometimes, even the underneath is not all it seems to be.'_

_"Whoever thought of that was a smart man Iruka sensei." commented Naruto once again, as he did. Iruka felt a small smile make it to his lips, as the boy had answered correctly. _

_'So, he is smarter than he appears, and is hiding it. That is what the Hokage was saying. He is smarter than he appears, and no one notices it because they all to busy being fooled by his facade, thinking they don't need to look there, as he makes himself look stupid. That is something undercover ANBU excel at.' Iruka decided right there and then the boy was misunderstood greatly, and he was going to help him learn to get better at it and everything else._

_"Naruto, you hide your intelligence from everyone else. Don't you?" Iruka pointed out, and felt the atmosphere in the room go tense, which surprised him. He looked from the grading sheets he unsealed from the scroll to Naruto and was shocked to see not those azure blue eyes but the cerulean eyes he saw when he first entered. Those eyes held no kindness or goofiness in them, only a cold intelligence. They stayed like that for a few moments, both staring each other down, Naruto's cold, piercing eyes to Iruka's kind brown eyes._

_"You have been helping me figure that all out the whole time we talked Naruto, so please don't be so alert. I was just seeing if what the Hokage told me was true." said Iruka slowly and while using a placating tone. The word Hokage seemed to calm him down a little, though he was still alert. Naruto looked at the man like he was threat and to Naruto he was, as no one, besides the Hokage who looked after him and came to give him his allowance money, knew how smart he was. This man here had just figured that out, and he wasn't happy about it. _

_'I hardly know him and he is asking me to be calm. Screw that.' thought Naruto, as he prepped his legs with Chakra, from the lessons of the teachers when they taught the other kids and from his own research on the subject. Then a Kunai hit the shelf to his right suddenly, and he looked at Iruka again, this time seeing how serious he was. The man's eyes held no intent to kill like to Kunai __motioned, but simply a wish to be heard._

_"Just hear me out, please Naruto. I know what it is like to be alone, and ignored." said Iruka with hope in his voice, knowing that comment is the only way he was going to get to him. He knew the boy was getting ready to run as he felt the buildup of Chakra, though sloppy, was a lot. The boy needed someone to help him refine his techniques and he wasn't going to let anyone do that as he didn't trust anyone. Naruto looked at he Chunin who was blocking his escape, and knew that if he broke for it, he would be captured or dead. So he decided to hear the man out, and if the Chunin really did know how he felt, then at the end of this he would believe him or not._

_Naruto calmly let the Chakra from his legs flow back into his Chakra stream, then walked over to the table Iruka was sitting at, pulled out a chair, and sat in it. He crossed his arms and looked Iruka dead in the eyes, knowing there was nothing the man could hide from him in there. Iruka met his gaze with confidence and no fear. They stayed like that for a few seconds before Iruka spoke._

_"I know it might be hard for you to believe my words Naruto, as I had the same problem when it came to others in trust." he said and took a deep breath. "My parents died fighting the 9 Tailed Fox on its rampage ten years ago. They left me alone and I was a orphan of war. Though no one payed attention to me as there were many others like myself." As he said this his eyes seemed to become unfocused, meaning he was looking into his past. "I grew up with no attention, no love, always ignored in the orphanage. Just like you, though I wasn't hated."_

_"Then I grew up enough to join the academy, wanting to take after my mother and father, and I acted out and goofed off, to get attention, even if wasn't the right one. I failed many times because of this. Then the Hokage came to me one day, and gave me attention I had been wanting. Telling me it wasn't only the attention I wanted, but the anger I held to my parents leaving me behind by myself." At this point he closed his eyes as a tear fell. "He helped me realize that they didn't leave me behind, but protected me that night, and the rest of the village as well. They died for what they believed in Naruto. After that, I decided to grow up, and stop acting like a child, and strive to make my parents proud." he said at last quietly as he looked back at Naruto, wondering if he got through to the kid. He really hoped the boy did as he didn't want Naruto to go through to pain he himself did._

_Naruto looked into the man's eyes after hearing his confession, seeing no lies, no evil or hateful motives, only a caring that a friend would show as he had seen some of the kids in his class show to their friends. How adults looked after one another when they had something happen to them, or just having fun. He looked as the man in front of him looked with that same exact look. "Iruka sensei..." he spoke softly, making Iruka's eyes widen slightly as he wasn't expecting a reaction from Naruto._

_"While I am glad that you have had a similar life to me and can relate. I hardly know you, and I have learned the hard way time after time what trust can do to you if you place it blindly." he said calmly to Iruka, seeing the man's face fall slightly at that. Naruto knew that the man cared for him from the start, as when he scolded him, it wasn't out of hate, but rather that of worry, worry that he wouldn't get better._

_Iruka slightly deflated at Naruto's answer and decided that he would build trust with him in order for him to open up, because the thing that scared him the most was those eyes he saw when he found out about Naruto's intelligence, it was a look that Itachi Uchiha had when he went through the academy, a look of no trust to anyone. Only a purely cold and calculating look. "Then I suppose that I'll have to earn that trust from you, won't I?" said Iruka, both to himself and Naruto, making the boys eyes widen. "Naruto, meet me here after school every day after today, and I'll help you study and get better. You have soo much potential as a Shinobi and a person. It is being stunted by the village and other teachers."_

_As he said this, Naruto was shocked, more so that here was a man he hardly knew anything about, who was offering him to become better. "How do I know you wan't be here tomorrow?" asked Naruto calmly, still unsure if he could trust the man or not. The man then extended his arm, with his hand in a fist, except for his pinky finger._

_"Pinky promise." he replied, with a full smile. Naruto looked at his face and his extended pinky thinking to himself that this was rather childish, but appropriate for some reason. Then he too, moved his arm out, extended his pinky finger to meet his, and hooked it with the man's like he had seen others do it._

_"Pinky promise." affirmed Naruto with a small smile of his own, knowing that this most likely wouldn't turn out to be bad for him._

_Flashback end_

* * *

><p>It was that day that Naruto truly blossomed and grew, while still keeping his facade to the village. That day changed everything for Naruto, as he soon began learning what he craved, and gained a friend that he always wanted in the end. He continued to walk up to Sasuke to stand right next to him. He stared out at the advancing Water Clones of Zabuza's.<p>

"I am sorry to say this Kakashi sensei, but we can't do that." he said to his commander and teacher, directly disobeying his order. Sasuke looked at him like he grew a second head. What was Naruto thinking, going up against a Jonin, with just Genin? That was asking to die.

"You heard him dobe, we got to go.." started to say Sasuke as he reached out to grab the dumbass, before he was stopped by Naruto's look. His eyes were not the azure blue he had always seen, ever since they had met. They were now a dark cerulean blue, one that had seen the ugly side of life.

"You can go ahead, Sasuke, run and die. He'll just kill Kakashi, and chase us down. We'll die either way right? So why not fight then?" he said simply with such coldness that it shocked Sasuke, Sakura, Tazuna, and Kakashi. Kakashi stared at Naruto through the Water Prison he was trapped in with a new respect.

'He knows what will happen either way, its they make a stand here and win or die, or run and die. He truly is learning to be a Shinobi, isn't he sensei?' thought Kakashi as his wide eyes went back to their all too known calm. He relaxed knowing they would win or all die together.

Sasuke looked into his teammates eyes with shock at his words, and as he thought about it, it was true what he said. It was death either way, so why not die fighting? "Okay dobe, I am with ya. Just lets try to live, I have someone to kill." he said calmly back to Naruto as he stood shoulder to shoulder with him. Sakura looked at both of them with wide eyes, at Naruto because what he said was crazy but true, and at Sasuke because she was shocked that he agreed.

Tazuna stared at the brat with lots more respect than before. 'The kid is willing to die to protect me, just for sake that this country becomes free.' he thought a small smile and some tears he wiped away. "Hey Brat..." he calmly said, making Naruto look at Tazuna with his new eyes. "You live and win this, my daughter makes some good soup." he said as a encouragement. Naruto calmly looked at him, before slowly nodding.

"Then I supposed I will have to live to taste it, won't I... old man" he replied with a smirk, before turning to the Water Clones that were almost there. "Well, this is going to be the most fun I have had in awhile." he said with a smile that had defiance written all over it. Naruto then brought his hands into a cross like shape with both of his hands index and middle fingers. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" he said calmly, and 30 pops and smoke clouds came to life out of nowhere. When each cloud cleared away, it revealed a exact copy of Naruto, even some of the earlier injuries with the demon brothers.

Zabuza looked at the kid he made a mess a little while ago, now looking like he was a true Shinobi, but that is not what had his attention. What had his attention was his eye color change, as even he could see it from here. "So, he is one of those huh..." said Zabuza with a calm face. Kakashi looked at his opponent.

"What do you mean by that Zabuza?" asked Kakashi, wondering what the man figured out. He knew the man wasn't Jonin and former Mist ANBU for nothing. So if he figured out something critical, then it could be deadly for his students.

Zabuza looked at Kakashi with a sidelong glance, before looking back at Naruto. "He is a Shinobi who fights for no one but himself, not even his friends. A true Shinobi." answered Zabuza calmly. As he saw that same look in his eyes when he looked in the mirror. Nowadays, he wasn't like that. But when he was first in the Seven Deadly Swordsman, he had the same look that kid did.

Kakashi looked at Zabuza like he too had grown a second head. "That would be wrong, he fights for the whole village. His dream is to become Hokage. He..." Kakashi was saying before he was cut off by Zabuza's laugh.

"If that is what you want to think Kakashi of the Sharingan. Your eye can't even see the truth, how ironic." he said with a laugh at the end. "He may have shown your village and those who got close to him that side of him. A fake side. He doesn't give a care about any of you, and is just using you to get what he wants. Just like I did in the Hidden Mist." Kakashi looked at the man with narrowed eyes. He was thinking that man was insulting the Naruto he knew, but deep down, he wondered if the man was right. Naruto had always worn a mask around people. Always cheerful, and yet not the brightest. He wondered if what Zabuza is saying was partly true. After this he would have to watch him.

"He is nothing like you Zabuza, in fact he is far from it." commented Kakashi to Zabuza, and Zabuza looked at Kakashi with a sidelong glance again, before turning back to the battle.

"Then just watch Kakashi, just watch."

Naruto narrowed his eyes as he sent 30 clones at the incoming Water Clone. He then made another since his hands were still in the seal. The newest clone then quickly made the hand signs for the Transformation Jutsu. The clones then engaged the Water Clone of Zabuza with force, using only their fists. They were only distracting it for Naruto. Sasuke watched Naruto's clones get blown back and blown up.

"I hope that wasn't everything you had." he said calmly, as if it was, then they would most likely die here.

"Don't worry, I have a plan. Just do what you need to do when it comes." Naruto replied as he created 15 more clones and sent them after the Water Clone. Sasuke saw that the clone he made extra was still there with the Transformation Jutsu. Then it puffed to reveal a... Demon Wind Shuriken. He wondered what use that would be when he saw Naruto pick it up and put it in his backpack. Then Naruto reached into his Kunai pouch, and pulled out two Kunai. "Remember Sasuke, stick to the plan."

With that said, Naruto crouched down and gathered Chakra in his legs, in a massive amount and with some control unlike last time with Iruka. He waited for the perfect moment and saw it. He kicked off from the crouch, using the stored Chakra, and went at speeds faster than the untrained eye. He brought both of his Kunai up, and had the blades facing the ground. Just as the clones all were thrown away like before, he came in a stabbing motion to the Water Clone, while it was still extending the Water Clone version of Kubikiribocho, and stabbed both Kunai into it. He was stopped though as it brought up the blade and blocked him just in time.

Naruto then used his weight to move over the blade and down in front of the clone. He smirked as he moved one of the Kunai and threw it point blank at the clone. It hit and the clone splashed into the Water it was composed of, though not without thwacking Naruto with the cleaver like blade. As Naruto was sent flying, then Kunai that hit the clone was actually charged with Chakra and zoomed past by Tazuna, missing by a hair. Tazuna almost shit himself, though he was still going to chew the kid out afterwards.

The still flying Naruto then pulled out his backpack, though everyone was watching the Kunai pass Tazuna, and yelled, "Sasuke!" before throwing the Shuriken at him folded up. The Shuriken was like all others, meaning it had four blades and a hole in the center. Though, this one was collapsible by the ring/hole in the center, and the blades were curved like a Scimitar in shape without the back. This made it faster as it cut through the air like a wind, hence the name. Sasuke caught the weapon and as soon as he did, he knew what Naruto's plan was.

Sasuke smirked, and thought, 'Not bad dobe, not bad at all.' Sasuke gathered Chakra in his arm and jumped in the air to gain momentum. As he came down he flipped and threw the Shuriken at Zabuza, while discharging the Chakra in his arm to increase the strength of the throw. With the momentum from Sasuke up in the air, and the amplified strength in the throw, the Shuriken zoomed at very fast speeds. Almost not able to be seen to the trained eye. "Demon Wind Shuriken!" cried out Sasuke as he threw it down range at Zabuza.

Zabuza saw the blade coming and narrowed his eyes. He knew he had to move or catch it in order to nullify it. He couldn't let go of his hold on the Water Prison, or else then Kakashi could finish him off. The Water Clones from earlier and against the kid, with the gathering of the dense, Chakra infused water for the Water Prison, and keeping it up this long had taken its toll on his Chakra Reserves. The Water Prison was a technique meant to disable an opponent, then be broken as you ran your blade through it afterwards to end the battle. Though, because of his haughtiness, he kept it up, thinking that these Genin were nothing. Well he was paying for it now, wasn't he?

"Fuck." he simply said as outstretched his arm and threw Kubikiribocho on his back. As it came within range he made he hand ready and... caught it as it almost hit him. He smirked as let down to the side of his arm. "Hehehe, nice try kid, but..." he stopped there as out of the mist came a second one, in the shadow of the first. His eyes widened as he didn't have enough time to let go of the one in his hand and catch that one. As it came to bisect him, he jumped up slightly and brought his legs up, barely avoiding the spinning blades. He smirked again, thinking that he won this time, before his eyes widened as he heard a puff behind him. He turned his head quickly, to see the real Naruto there with his second Kunai at the beginning charged with Chakra in hand.

He knew then what the kid's plan was from the beginning. He had his clones distract the Water clone until he could get in close and kill it. Then while everyone else was watching Tazuna almost get killed, he switched with the cloned Shuriken while pulling out a real one and transformed them together. Then the clone threw it to Sasuke, in which when he caught it, knew that since it was weighted, it was real. He threw it knowing that Naruto was using the real blade as a cover. When Zabuza caught the first one, he didn't have enough time as to see the second one was a Transformation Shuriken and dodged it thinking it was real as well. Then Naruto reverted back to himself, as he got behind Zabuza and was going to throw the Chakra charged Kunai at his back, where the blade didn't cover to kill him, while his hand was on the Water Prison and the other holding the real Shuriken. Leaving him with no way in the air to dodge, basically a sitting duck.

'That kid is smart.' he thought to himself, giving the kid some respect in his book.

"Eat this!" yelled Naruto as he threw the Kunai hard with charged Chakra in his arm. It flew true, and didn't want to deviate it's course. Wanting a piece of Zabuza's flesh, or life. Zabuza knew the fight ended right there. He moved out of the way of the Kunai seeking to kill him, while letting go of the Water Prison. This in turn like he thought, Kakashi was let go and instantly on him. He dropped the Shuriken by this point and brought his blade to bear. They collided again and once again fought, even though Zabuza knew he had less Chakra then Kakashi, if he could get him in a Water Prison again, which was a long if, then he would take the lead again. As they fought more and more, Kakashi yelled out, "Nice job Naruto! Now get to safety."

"Don't need to tell me twice!" exclaimed Naruto as he was swimming to shore with Chakra enhanced ligaments. He got to shore and back with the group soon enough. Kakashi and Zabuza then separated, making hand seals at a fast rate. Zabuza doing the ones he remembered to heart, while Kakashi using the Sharingan eye in his left eye to copy Zabuza's seals. This continued with Zabuza's eyes narrowing, and him saying, "Stop copying me you stupid monkey!" then stopped on the last one, yelling, "Water Technique: Water Dragon Bullet!" and a huge serpent like dragon made of water rose out of the lake. But Kakashi had copied his seals, and had made a dragon of equal size and strength. When they clashed and exploded over the both of them clashing.

The fighting duo then broke apart again, running in a circle, Zabuza running in one direction, and Kakashi running the same way and the same speed. Still directly across from Zabuza. "Argh, you stupid monkey!" yelled Zabuza, quickly getting angered by Kakashi's copycatting. He stopped and so did Kakashi, both doing the same hand seals, though different this time, and at the same speed. Zabuza looked directly into Kakashi's eyes, wondering how he was doing that at the same speed.

Then Zabuza stopped making seals as he saw himself behind Kakashi making seals. 'Is that me?' he thought confused. Before his eyes widened, as Kakashi finished the last seal. "Water Technique: Great Waterfall." Kakashi said calmly, using the jutsu Zabuza was building on Zabuza himself. The water tunnel that signaled the jutsu formed and charged Zabuza, taking him with it all the way to the other side of the shore. Kakashi landed there, seeing Zabuza up against a tree. He threw three Kunai, two to the shoulders and one to the lower side of the torso, making Zabuza grunt in pain.

Zabuza looked up at Kakashi with blurry vision. "How? How can you do that. Can you see the future?" he asked with confusion as to how he was beat.

Kakashi pulled out one last Kunai, and started toward Zabuza, reading to throw it into the man's throat. "Yes Zabuza, I can see the future, and your future is death." he said calmly and just about threw it, if it wasn't for the two senbon that landed in his neck. Kakashi stopped and put his Kunai away, before walking up to the body of the Missing Mist Nin. He put two fingers, his index and middle finger, up to Zabuza's throat, and waited a few seconds. Then moved away while putting the headband over his Sharingan eye, so his other eye was still able to use, making the headband lopsided.

"How long have you been there Hunter-san?" asked Kakashi to the Hunter Shinobi who just landed behind him. The rest of the group also joined them there. The Hunter went over to the body and hefted it up on his back.

"I had been there since the beginning. I just waited until you cut him down enough to make the kill." said the Shinobi calmly. "Now I must bid you ado." With that said, the Hunter made a Ram seal and used the Teleportation Technique to go away. Kakashi then turned to his Genin and Client.

"So, now would one of you do me a favor, any carry me to the Client's house?" With that also said, he fell the the ground unconscious. They all rushed over in worry, though Sakura sighed.

"He just has Chakra Exhaustion. All he needs is a place to rest." she summarized, then looked at Tazuna. "How far are we from your house?"

Tazuna looked at the next road closest to them and smiled. "Just down the road actually." he said as he went down said road. The rest of them looked at each other, before shrugging and Naruto created two clones to carry their sensei to the house. As his teammates walked ahead of him, they didn't notice the small grin that appeared on Naruto's face.

'I am getting better and better. Soon, I won't need this village.'


End file.
